Brown Boobies are large, migratory seabirds found in the tropical waters of the world, including those of the west coast of the Malay Peninsula, including areas near Penang. While they are not typically seen on the mainland they are oaccasionally seen near coastal waters of Seberang Perai, where they are sometimes “blown” in by an approaching storm.

The nearest breeding colony to Penang is at Pulau Perak, Kedah, about 100 miles north of Penang, they also breed on remote island of Pulau Layang-Layang, Sabah in the South China Sea. their presence near Penang is largely as a pelagic species hunting in surrounding waters. They are known to feed on small fish (flying fish, sardines) and squid, often foraging in large flocks and plunge-diving from up to 15 meters. Although they occasionally practice communal hunting by herding or trapping fishes on the surface.

It is considered as rare to uncommon to the coastal or off-shore waters of the State.

https://datazone.birdlife.org/species/factsheet/brown-booby-sula-leucogaster